Mormon “Siskel and Ebert” Help Families Keep Standards in Movies

Grady Kerr (left) and Jonathan Decker (right) have never met except through their podcasts.

No one loves going to the movies more than my family. Yet on a typical Friday or Saturday evening, after my husband suggests going to a movie, he usually spends the next hour (literally) reading reviews and showing the family movie trailers to see if it’s something we even want to see and if it’s appropriate for kids. After an hour, we usually end up watching a movie at home since we either can’t agree or just get bored of all the research we have to do.

As I was surfing the Internet one day, I came across a couple of Mormon movie critics–a Mormon “Siskel and Ebert,” if you will. I am excited that now my family’s movie time will be less of a headache since these guys not only have high standards, but they have already done all the research for us!

Grady and Jonathan are unpaid and review movies as a hobby as well as a service to help other members of our faith keep our standards. In the Church’s For the Strength of Youth handbook, it states, “Do not attend, view, or participate in anything that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in anything that presents immorality or violence as acceptable. Have the courage to walk out of a movie . . . if what you see or hear drives away the Spirit.” https://www.lds.org/youth/for-the-strength-of-youth/entertainment-and-media?lang=eng

The idea for the podcast was born when Grady found Jonathan online and pitched the idea for them both to review current Hollywood movies with a Mormon perspective. Although the two have never met in person, they have become great friends. Both are media buffs, family men, and active members of the Church. Grady is a business owner in California and Jonathan is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Utah.

“When Grady had the idea to start a podcast and a joint website, I jumped at the opportunity to talk about movies and the Gospel with my buddy,” Jonathan wrote in his column for Meridian Magazine. “The podcasts give (families) the reliable opinions of ‘two witnesses’ on whether a particular film is worth your time and money. I say reliable’ because we both strive to live our faith and are passionate enough about cinema to know what we’re talking about.”

In addition to the podcast and websites, Jonathan’s book 250 Great Movies for Latter-day Families comes out September 10 which will be available on Amazon.com.

In a world where media is often filled with darkness and filth, I am grateful for two guys who are willing to “stand for truth and righteousness” and follow Joseph Smith’s admonition when he wrote in the Thirteenth Article of Faith stating that “if there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”